Anyone know what this is?

[Wasatch Rebel]

I get this condition when I'm hiking for any extended period of time (like to the top of Timp), where my hands swell so bad that my wedding band begins to make my ring finger look like an hour glass. When I got back from King's Peak a couple of weeks ago, my left hand stayed swollen until a day and a half later. I was thinking that I've been experiencing hyponatremia, which is a low salt to water ratio, but I'm not sure. Any ideas?

Shane

[rockgremlin]

Just a few weeks ago when me and a few friends were hiking up Thurston Peak, we all noticed how our hands had swollen during the hike. Mine swell every time I'm on the trail for more than few hours although not quite as badly as you described though (where your ring pinches your finger).

Dunno why or what causes it, but I'd like to know as well.

[Shan]

I think they call it edema, but not the bad lung or cerebral edema related to altitude sickness. I think it's due to an electrolyte imbalance. I guess there are electrolyte capsules you can take every hour to combat this too, in addition to just fluids.

[crazy horse]

hmm...never really had that happen before. I have a buddy whos hands swell a bit when he gets dehydrated...i don't really know why, but thats probably opposite of your problem. With the electrolyte thing, for me, electrolytes=gatorade, especially that endurance formula.

[Wasatch Rebel]

I think they call it edema, but not the bad lung or cerebral edema related to altitude sickness. I think it's due to an electrolyte imbalance. I guess there are electrolyte capsules you can take every hour to combat this too, in addition to just fluids.

That's what I'm thinking. I've tried eating things with more salt (they say that this condition doesn't respond well to the amount of electrolytes in Sports drinks like Gatorade--still not enough electrolytes for the amount of water in the drinks). I haven't been able to find the capsules anywhere--although Wal-Mart says they can order them (I found out the day before I left on the kIng's Peak trip), and Ed's Athletic Supply normally carries them but were out of them.

[Wasatch Rebel]

Just a few weeks ago when me and a few friends were hiking up Thurston Peak, we all noticed how our hands had swollen during the hike. Mine swell every time I'm on the trail for more than few hours although not quite as badly as you described though (where your ring pinches your finger).

The weird thing is, I'm a mailman and I walk miles everyday in the heat--sweating profusely, with no hands swelling. It only seems to happen when I'm at altitude.

[rockgremlin]

The weird thing is, I'm a mailman and I walk miles everyday in the heat--sweating profusely, with no hands swelling. It only seems to happen when I'm at altitude.

That IS weird!!